Vacationers of the Week: Marlie Regis and Sarah Laine – Cloud Walks
Born and raised in London, Marlie Regis and Sarah Laine (aka Cloud Walks) are our Vacationers of the Week. Travel writers, bloggers, and content creators, the couple have been together for seven years and are currently living in Australia.
So, we caught up with the lovely couple to ask them about their travel style, the top 3 things to do in Australia for LGBTQ+ travelers, and the dream destinations they’re looking forward to visiting in the future.
Vacationer Magazine: At what age did you receive your first passport? What was your first trip?
Sarah Laine: We’ve both had a passport our whole lives. My first trip was to Ibiza as a 6-year-old. So, not much partying!
Marlie Regis: My first trip was to Amsterdam, where I actually took my first steps!
What trip or travel experience sparked your passion for travel?
Marlie: My parents have always had a huge interest in travel, so they took me to a lot of places as a child and I loved it so much. Travel has always been a massive part of my life.
Sarah: Growing up, I didn’t go on many holidays, but I was fortunate enough to have friends who lived in New Zealand and Singapore who I visited. The diversity of these places when compared to each other and to London sparked my interest in the world.
What inspires you to travel?
We both absolutely love learning about other cultures and seeing all the different ways that people live their lives. We are also always down to try all the local foods and seek adventure. Travel makes you feel like a kid in the sense that you’re always discovering things for the first time!
Please tell us how you identify yourself on the LGBTQIA spectrum. Tell us if how you identify influences the way your travel. If so, how?
We’re not really into labels, but we mostly resonate with being Pansexual. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community means that we love to seek out LGBTQ+-owned businesses or events in other countries and show support. We also must be more aware of how open we can be with each other in certain countries as it’s still unfortunately illegal or frowned upon in many countries. Despite this, we wouldn’t let that stop us from going anywhere. We want to see the world and show others that it’s possible no matter what.
Is there a travel destination that most queer travelers would think isn’t safe to visit, but you’ve visited and enjoyed it? If so, where? What made it a memorable experience?
We haven’t been to any of the countries where it’s deemed really dangerous, but we’ve been to countries in South America, where we did the research and it said it was definitely frowned upon, but we didn’t notice any strange behavior. When we visit countries, we do tend to try to concentrate on the country itself rather than the politics. Every country has something to enjoy, even if the laws or beliefs are questionable. For example, we know that Russia is somewhere that most queer travelers wouldn’t deem safe for us to be open, but we can still appreciate the beauty in Moscow and want to visit. The world itself is so beautiful!
You’ve been together as a couple for almost 7 years now. Just out of curiosity, what was your first trip together? Would you recommend it to other LGBTQ+ travelers?
Our first trip together was to Dublin in Ireland. We would definitely recommend it to other LGBTQ+ travelers! It’s a very open city with lovely locals and lots of things to see & do.
What are three things LGBTQ+ travelers should do when visiting Australia?
Go to Sydney Mardi Gras, experience a “Poof Doof” event, and visit Daylesford; a cute country town, which is the gay capital of regional Australia!
What’s the best thing about traveling with one another? What are the perks of traveling as a couple?
We have really similar interests so it’s great that we’re always on the same page when it comes to travel and never feel like we have to compromise a lot. Because of this, we just have so many amazing experiences that we’ve shared together. It feels fab to be able to reminisce together and plan for new experiences and truly understand each other’s journeys and emotions within that.
How would you describe your travel style in three words?
“No stone unturned!” We really try to get stuck in and experience everything that we can when we’re in a place. It’s nice to have things to do if you return one day but we also think life is too short for that “if.”
What are your top three favorite places to visit? Why?
Thailand, Brazil, and Australia.
With both Thailand and Brazil, we really love the locals and their energy. The friendliness really shines through and there are just such good vibes in the air. There’s also something for everyone; you could never get bored.
Australia has been part of our lives for almost five years, so it’d be rude to not mention it! We love the usual Aussie beach vibes, but we also really enjoyed visiting the Outback and learning more about the amazing Aboriginal culture, which is the oldest surviving culture in the world!
What three places are still on your bucket list to visit? Why?
It’s so hard to choose and our list is forever expanding. However, three that come to mind are India, Japan, and Mexico. We’ve both wanted to go to all three for so long but haven’t got around to it yet. They all have the triple threat; amazing culture, sights to see, and food!
What’s one thing you never forget to pack in your suitcase?
Our camera and tripod! We absolutely love documenting our trips and taking lots of photos and videos. We’re always watching old videos back and reminiscing and we can’t wait to get some photos printed one day and have them all over our future house.
You’re going on a road trip or a long-haul flight. What singer or band is always on your playlist?
We’ve been away from London for such a long time now so it’s always so nice to hear music by London artists and hear a familiar accent! Stormzy is from the same part of London as us, so we’ve always got to have him involved in our playlists!
You can follow Marlie and Sarah’s most recent adventures on Instagram and Facebook!
